Systems and methods for enhanced detection and quantification of analytes

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for detecting molecules of interest within a collected sample are described herein. In certain embodiments, self-contained sample analysis systems are disclosed, which include a reusable reader component, a disposable cartridge component, and a disposable sample collection component. The reader component may communicate with a remote computing device for the digital transmission of test protocols and test results. In various disclosed embodiments, the systems, components, and methods are configured to identify the presence, absence, and/or quantity of particular nucleic acids, proteins, or other analytes of interest, for example, in order to test for the presence of one or more pathogens or contaminants in a sample.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cartridge device comprising:
 a sample preparation reservoir holding a first fluid comprising a first signaling agent to detect a first type of target analyte of an introduced sample and a second signaling agent to detect a second type of target analyte of the introduced sample;
 wherein the first type of target analyte directly or indirectly binds to the first signaling agent in the first fluid in the sample preparation reservoir, the first signaling agent having a first detectable potential for the first type of target analyte; and
 the second type of target analyte directly or indirectly binds to the second signaling agent in the first fluid in the sample preparation reservoir; the second signaling agent having a second detectable potential, different from the first detectable potential, for the second type of target analyte, and 
 
 wherein the sample preparation reservoir further comprises a reagent ball comprising nucleic acid amplification reagents; 
 
 a substrate reservoir configured to hold a second fluid comprising a substrate that reacts with the first signaling agent and the second signaling agent to form a substrate-first signaling agent complex and a substrate-second signaling complex; and 
 an analysis channel configured to receive the second fluid from the substrate reservoir and comprising a sensor for detecting both the first and second types of target analytes based upon a first signal and a second signal respectively generated by the substrate-first signaling agent complex and the substrate-second signaling agent complex respectively following electrical stimulation of the second fluid; 
 wherein the signal for each substrate-signaling agent complex is based on the respective potential of the signaling agent for the analyte. 
 
     
     
       2. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid amplification reagents in the reagent ball amplify a first nucleic acid in the sample to generate a first amplicon; and
 the nucleic acid amplification reagents in the reagent ball amplify a second nucleic acid in the sample to generate a second amplicon. 
 
     
     
       3. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , wherein the reagent ball comprises a plurality of forward and reverse primers, a plurality of dNTPs, a polymerase, a reverse transcriptase, a recombinase, and a single stranded binding protein. 
     
     
       4. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , wherein the reagent ball further comprises a recombinase loading factor. 
     
     
       5. The cartridge device of  claim 2 , wherein the first type of target analyte is the first amplicon amplified by the nucleic acid amplification reagents in the reagent ball, and wherein the second type of target analyte is the second amplicon amplified by the nucleic acid amplification reagents in the reagent ball. 
     
     
       6. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , wherein the reagent ball comprises nucleic acid amplification reagents for an isothermal amplification reaction. 
     
     
       7. The cartridge device of  claim 6 , wherein the isothermal amplification reaction is selected from rolling circle amplification, loop-mediated isothermal amplification, strand displacement amplification, recombinase polymerase amplification, helicase dependent amplification, polymerase spiral reaction, or nicking enzyme amplification reaction. 
     
     
       8. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis channel further comprises one or more magnetic generators, and wherein the first fluid further comprises a magnetic particle that binds to the first and second signaling agents. 
     
     
       9. The cartridge device of  claim 8 , wherein the first type of target analyte directly or indirectly bound to the first signaling agent and the second type of target analyte directly or indirectly bound to the second signaling agent are each directly or indirectly bound to the magnetic particle that permits localization over the sensor in the analysis channel via magnetic attraction to the one or more magnetic generators. 
     
     
       10. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , wherein an outlet of the sample preparation reservoir including a phase-changeable material therein, the phase-changeable material completely occluding the entire cross-section of the outlet, and further comprising a heater configured to heat the phase-changeable material, thereby unsealing the outlet and permitting the first fluid to flow into the analysis channel. 
     
     
       11. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , wherein an outlet of the substrate reservoir including a phase-changeable material therein, the phase-changeable material completely occluding the entire cross-section of the outlet, and further comprising a heater configured to heat the phase-changeable material, thereby unsealing the outlet and permitting the second fluid to flow into the analysis channel. 
     
     
       12. The cartridge device of  claim 1 , further comprising a wash reservoir holding a wash solution, and wherein an outlet of the wash reservoir including a phase-changeable material therein, the phase-changeable material completely occluding the entire cross-section of the outlet, and further comprising a heater configured to heat the phase-changeable material, thereby unsealing the outlet and permitting the wash solution to flow into the analysis channel.